#1 restaurant franchise in America (10 2 24)

Author

Anthony Hazzard
October 02, 2024

Online passport renewal is finally here! Find out about eligibility requirements later in this email.

💵 Today’s Top Stories

Cracker Barrel, Olive Garden and others put up a strong fight. But no other restaurant brand can match this affordable steakhouse franchise for customer satisfaction. Read more.

Credit Score

Payment history and credit utilization make up 65% of your credit score. Here are all five factors and what you can do to improve your on-paper record for each. Read more.

Bank Accounts

Your old online accounts, even ones that aren’t related to finances, can be “the key that unlocks nothing but trouble for you,” Clark says. Here’s how – and how to safeguard your identity. Read more.

This insurance comparison site doesn’t sell your info to other companies and can be a good place to start shopping around. But there is a good reason to not get too attached to your quotes. Read more.

📣 Today’s Top News
🧳 U.S. Passport Renewal Now Available Online 24/7

Gone are the days when you have to drive somewhere and wait on an hourly employee to help process your passport renewal -- or send documents including a check in the mail.

Online passport renewal has finally arrived after two soft launch test phases. To be eligible to renew your U.S. passport online 24/7, here are the main requirements:

  • Must currently live in the U.S.

  • Be at least 25 years old

  • Old passport expired within the last 5 years OR your passport expires within a year

You aren’t eligible for the service if:

  • You’re younger than 25

  • You’re changing information such as your name or gender

  • Your passport got lost or stolen

  • You need an expedited or urgent renewal

The demand for U.S. passports has never been higher. The U.S. issued 24 million passports in 2023. About 40% of those were renewals.

To renew, you upload a photo, pay $130 and fill out an online application on this government website.

Officially, it still takes six to eight weeks to process your request. But a government official said that currently, 100% of people get their renewed passport faster than that time frame.

💸 Today’s Top Savings Rates

Check out our updated list of Clark.com-approved high-yield savings accounts with the highest rates. Here are the top five APYs on our list as of October 2, 2024.

📊 Stat of the Day

✈️ 48%: Share of American citizens with a current passport as of 2023. That’s up from just 5% in 1990.

💰️ Deal Alert: Today’s Top Deals
Amazon
Walmart
🎙️ Podcast

There’s a little-known secret to score great deals on rental cars and it happens twice a year. Clark explains the trick, how to time it, and tips to help you find a rental car for $10/day. Also, almost two-thirds of people did not use their vacation last year. That’s double what the study found four years ago. Clark passionately shares why it’s so important to take your vacation time, even if you don’t go on a trip.

☎️ Need Money Help?

The Team Clark Consumer Action Center is a free helpline that can help you navigate your money questions. Call 636-492-5275. Visit clark.com/cac for more information.

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